When you think of the World Series, a certain image probably comes to mind: a jubilant crowd rejoicing in celebration of baseball’s most prestigious title. The World Series has always been a special event, evoking emotions of joy, sadness, and more from fans and players alike. It is often considered as America’s sport, emulating a sense of pride and homeyness in many Americans. And this year’s Series was no different.
But the World Series wasn’t all smiles and cheers this year. The game’s first two days were rife with controversy, from Gerrit Cole allegedly being forced to leave in the fourth inning with neck and shoulder issues to Aaron Judge destroying the roof of Yankee Stadium in the fifth inning of Game 5.
However, it was the last night of the Series that really took the cake for weirdness. In a game that was all but over, Washington manager Martinez came into the press room before the start of the eighth and said that ace Max Scherzer was indefinitely out with neck and shoulder injuries.
Then came the ninth inning, when Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run gave the Pittsburgh Pirates their first World Series win in 39 years. The homer, which landed in the right-field upper deck, was one of the most famous moments in Series history and earned legendary announcers Vin Scully and Jack Buck iconic pronouncements.
This is just a small sample of the World Series’ most memorable moments, but you can read about even more in USA TODAY’s free app, which includes crosswords, audio storytelling, eNewspaper and more. Download it now to follow along with this year’s series.